Chair with manually-adjustable mirror

ABSTRACT

The chair provided comprises three platforms or rounds that are separated by two ball bearing filled turntables. The top platform is a seat, and the bottom platform shall be furnished with a sturdy base or legs to elevate the chair off the floor. From the center or middle platform projects outward and upward an arm which is capable of holding a small appliance, such as a mirror. To this center platform should also be fixed a knob or handle. Thus, the chair provided allows the user to sit first in the chair with the appliance positioned behind the user and then to use the handle or knob to make the appliance rotate clockwise or counter-clockwise around the user. Additionally, the seat rotates freely from the appliance. In this invention both seat and appliance can rotate freely until a useful position is found. This chair is particularly useful when placed in front of another mirror and allowing the user a 360 degree view of themselves.

PARENT CASE TEXT

[0001] This application claims the priority of provisional application60/452,590 filed Mar. 6, 2003.

(2) References Cited

[0002] U.S. Pat. No. 5,110,181 May 1992 Simjian and 5,692,800 Dec. 2,1997 Perin

(3) This is not Federally sponsored research/development. (5) BACKGROUNDAND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION.

[0003] The invention is a chair that arose as a result of extensivedevelopment in my career as an interior designer and furniture designer.While I had initially envisioned a mechanical chair with the possibilityof a fixed rotation counter-rotation schedule, I discovered severalthings during the production phase of the chair. The first is that theinternal mechanisms can break rather easily and the second which is thatthere are already existing patents on the these mechanical chairs.

(6) SUMMARY

[0004] The chair that I have designed has two distict advantages overthe mechanical chairs aforedescribed and referred to: The first and mostimportant being that the function of the chair is increased by itsability to freely rotate as opposed to being subject to fixed positionsand counter-positions. The chair does not contain any gears and as aresult is less fragile and more easily mass-produced. The utility of thechair is that it provides a way of allowing the person seated in thechair to view all sides of their head and upper body and once positionedin an advantageous position, allows the user to view the rear or side oftheir head while seated in front of another mirror.

(7) DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0005] 1. Front elevation of chair with drum shaped base.

[0006] 2. Rear elevation of chair with 5 legged base.

[0007] 3. Exploded partial view of chair.

[0008] 4. Angled view of front of chair.

[0009] 5. Plan of middle round #3 with parts #2 and #6.

[0010] 6. Rear elevation of chair with upholstered back and skirt.

(8) DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] The prototype based on FIG. 1 was constructed of three roundpieces of heavy duty plywood (1,3 and 5 in drawings #1,2 and 6) that areroughly the same diameter. The three rounds are separated yet heldtogether by two 12″ ‘lazy Susan’ style turntables (2 and 4 in drawings#1 and 2 and 6) made by Shepherd Hardware. The exception being themiddle round (3) which is approximately ¼″ smaller in diameter to allowfor a decorative molding (3 a in drawing #5) to be applied. This moldingalso serves as a secure place to mount the knob or knobs that controlthe movement of the mirror. A pointed piece (6) that holds the arm thatholds the mirror extends from this smaller round. This piece (6) isjoined to the middle round so as to be structurally integrated. A partof the middle round was excavated to make room for this piece but thereare many ways of attaching this arm that should be apparent to thosefamiliar with the mechanical arts. However, the round (3) needn't besmaller as the molding is decorative and therefore unnecessary to theutility of the chair.

[0012] The support base or bottom round (5) of the chair currently hasfive screw-in wooden legs as shown in drawing #2. It is my opinion thatthe base could be made in a wide variety of configurations, decorativeand functional. The prototype has a skirt made of fabric attached to thebottom round (5) of the seat support. Another design for a base isincluded in Drawing #1. In this variation, the base is constructed of 3or more legs (14) that are secured by a fourth round (15) of plywoodthat rests just above the floor (drawing # 1). That which keeps it abovethe floor are a set of casters (16 in drawing #1). A minimum of fourwould be necessary for it to be stable. This design for the base has thedistinct advantage of having the fourth round as a counterweight to themirror and riser, which weigh several pounds or more.

[0013] The arm (7) rising from the triangular extension (6) of thecenter or middle round (3) will be of metal tubing approximately ¾ to 1inch in diameter with the expansion, or telescoping arm to which themirror shall be attached of a suitably smaller diameter so that it shallfit snugly within the fixed arm A knob (9) that screws into the side ofthe fixed arm near the top of said arm shall be used to hold thetelescoping arm (10) at its desired position. In the prototype andplans, this knob also pierces a small decorative molding or lip (8).This lip is made of wider tubing that is soldered on to the arm in theform of a coupling. However, this lip is not absolutely necessary to thefunction of the chair although it does provide additional strength.

[0014] The mirror (12) is framed in metal and sits within anotherslightly larger frame (11) that surrounds approximately 55%-100% of theperimeter of the mirror. The mirror is held in place by a pair ofdecorative screws (13) that pierce the larger frame and the mirrorframe. The larger frame is attached to the telescoping arm.

[0015] The prototype has an upholstered seat and back made of fabricover polyester batting over foam as well as a pleated skirt. These areall decorative elements and are subject to change as the chair mayeventually be manufactured of metal, resin or plastic, or othermaterials.

[0016] This chair/seat is designed so that a person seated at it and infront of another can see their head, neck, body from all around withouthaving to use a hand-held mirror or “three way” mirrors. The patent isfor the utility of the chair and its ability to allow a 360 degree viewof the user seated in the chair. The mirror is able to rotate freely andcompletely around the chair. However, if needed the chair can be made sothat the the mirror only moves partially around the seat (example 180degrees). The mirror can be adjusted both in height, as the arm istelescoping, and angle as the mirror sits in a frame. This chair iscomposed of three 19″ round platforms made of plywood, particle board,wood or MDF(medium density fiberboard) or similiar product. The threerounds are separated by a pair of 1241 round turntables, lazysusans,etc.

[0017] These are attached to the rounds 1,3 and 5 using very shortscrews. It is important to drill all rounds first with holes thatcorrespond to the mounting holes on the turntables. Precise dimensionsof both the rounds and the turntables are provided as examples anddescribes accurately the prototype that is shown in the photograph. Thepatent that I seek will not be limited by size of components. The bottomround shall be the base and will rise from the floor on a support device(legs with or without, casters etc.)

[0018] The middle round (3) shall have a mirror rising from it thatadjusts in height. In the prototype this mirror is made of brass andglass, but the patent shall not be limited by materials employed in theconstruction. The mirror is controlled by a knob (17 in drawing #5 and a¾″ brass sphere in the prototype) that is placed 180 degrees oppositethe mirror riser, but can be placed almost anywhere along the middleround, which is mounted in brass in the prototype. Also included is thepossibility of two or more knobs or handles placed at unspecifiedintervals around this middle section (3).

[0019] While this chair is similiar in concept to existing U.S. Pat.Nos. 5,692,800 and 5,110,181, it has the important exception being thatthis chair does not require reciprocal gears, or any gears at all, asthere is no fixed counter-rotation activity the necessary reciprocatinggears. The chair that I am claiming also has no limit on its range ofrotation. both the seat and the mirror (or appliance) can rotateindependently of each other, in the same or opposite directions.allowing for a much greater degree of flexibility than the the chairs inU.S. Pat. Nos. 5,692,800 and 5,110,181. It also has the advantage ofbeing composed of less expensive parts. This chair operates without theuse of gears, but instead with simple ball bearing turntables or “lazysusan” type devices. The possibility of mass production of this chairseems greater than the previous designs of ‘chairs with mirrors’ as adirect result of the simplification.

I claim:
 1. A chair consisting of: a round seat the seat, which can beupholstered and that will be attached to another round by using aturntable containing ball bearings. The second, or middle round shallhave an extension projecting from it that holds a telescoping arm towhich an appliance can be attached, such as a mirror. Said mirror shallrest in a frame and be able to pivot. Directly opposite (180) degreesthe triangle and mirror will be a knob that will be used to directlycontrol the position of the mirror or appliance. This round will beattached to a third round by yet another turntable. The third round willhave legs attached to it to provide support, and to elevate it to asuitable height.
 3. The chair of claim
 1. wherein the arm does notexpand or telescope, but is at a fixed height instead.
 4. The chair ofclaim 1 wherin the ballbearing devices are not separate turntables butperform the same function.
 5. The chair of claim 1 wherein the attachedmirror has a first mirror face in flat mirror and a second mirror thatenlarges or magnifies. The chair of claim 1
 6. The chair of claim 1wherein the mirror doesn't pivot within a frame but is instead fixed toan arm which is hinged to the main arm rising from the middle platform.7. The chair of claim 1 wherein the seat has not only a back, but armsas well.
 8. The chair of claim 1 wherein there are more than one knobsto control the position of the mirror (example 3 knobs placed 90 degreesapart from each other) on the middle round to which the mirror isattached.
 9. The chair of claim one wherein the mirror is round.
 10. Thechair of claim 1 wherein the chair is supported by a drum shaped basewith or without casters.
 11. The chair of claim 1 wherein the chair issupported by a central column fixed to a floor as a permanentinstallation (eg.store fixture or the like).
 12. The chair of claim onewherein the seat diameter is not more than 36″.
 13. The chair of claim12 wherein the seat height is not more than 36″.
 14. The chair of claim1 wherein the chair is supported by a column with not more than 20 legsradiating out from the base of the column.
 15. The chair of claim 14wherein the legs have casters or wheels.
 16. the chair of claim 1wherein the chair has a base composed of one or more legs and a circularbase roughly the size of the seat made of wood or metal with or withoutcasters.
 17. The chair of claim 1 wherein the chair has no back at all.18. The chair of claim 1 wherein the base of the chair is a column thatadjusts in height.
 19. The chair of claim 1 wherein there is no knob toadjust the mirror, and the arm is used to adjust it.
 20. The chair ofclaim 1 wherein an electric motor is employed to move the mirror orappliance clockwise and counterclockwise.